THE MONKEY’S PAW

Written by: W.W. JACOBS

Answer the following questions based on the short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by
W.W. Jacobs.
1. Recall: What type of mood is created at the beginning of the story? Provide
evidence.
2. Understand: What are the three wishes made throughout the story and what is
the outcome?
3. Apply: If given the opportunity, would you take advantage of the monkey’s
paw? Explain.
4. Analyze: The narrator does not explicitly say what the third wish is. Using
context clues, what do you suppose the third wish is? Why?
5. Evaluate:Provide three (3) examples of figurative language that exist
throughout “The Monkey’s Paw” and explain how they impact the story for the
reader.
Because of the sudden, unclear ending, some
argue that the monkey’s paw holds no power at
all and that Herbert would have died regardless. “He found the
What do you believe? Support your answer using
monkey’s paw, and
evidence from the text.
________________________________________ frantically breathed
his third and last
________________________________________
wish. The knocking
________________________________________ ceased suddenly...a
________________________________________ loud wail of
disappointment and
________________________________________
misery from his wife
________________________________________ gave him courage to
________________________________________ run down to her side,
and then to the gate
________________________________________
beyond. The street
________________________________________ lamp flickering
________________________________________ opposite shone on a
________________________________________
quiet and deserted
road.”
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